Upside Down Mirror: Broken Black (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Broken Black

Fingers reached out for the snitch, straining to latch onto the desired treasure. His fingers felt the smoothness of the small ball and then the fluttering of golden wings sticking out from between his fingers.

And then, Regulus felt himself falling.

In his excitement of catching his first snitch, Regulus lost his balance off his broom and started falling towards the Quidditch pitch below as the onlookers let out screams of horror right before he slammed into the ground. Pain shot through his arm, but he stood up nonetheless as he didn't think anything of the pain, which in his mind was less than any of the Cruciatus sent his way by his cousin Bella.

Though, Regulus couldn't move his arm so that he could see the Golden Snitch fluttering in his hand.

His silver-grey eyes drifted over to look at where he knew his older brother was, hoping for some acknowledgment of what he'd just done. Instead, he saw a look of disgust which made him look at the ground, swallowing back the welling feeling of shame building in his chest. " Nothing I ever do is good enough, though can I blame him when this is a match between Gryffindor and Slytherin where his house lost? "

Regulus looked away, swallowing, his mind still not registering the fact his arm was hanging limply at his side while the hand grasped the Golden Snitch. He let out a sigh before starting to walk off the Quidditch pitch so he might celebrate with his team and the rest of his house, though he didn't exactly feel like celebrating. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the captain of his team land nearby and hurry over.

"Black! Black, are you listening to me!"

Regulus turned his head, confused at why his team captain and a look of displeasure on his face. "I caught the Golden Snitch. S..." His voice trailed off as he looked down at his arm. "It won't move."

"You're in shock. I'm taking you to the infirmary."

"But wouldn't it be rude if the entire team didn't show up at the after-game celebrations?"

"You're really out of it not to realize you're walking around with a broken arm? Doesn't your arm hurt?"

"Cruiatious hurts a whole lot more," Regulus muttered out as the team captain guided him to the infirmary, thinking nothing of having a broken arm.

"Cruiatious hurts worse? Wait! Do you mean Cruciatus? Bloody hell, Black! Who used Cruciatus on you?"

Regulus opened his mouth to say something but then realized he might have said something which might get the Black family in trouble. "I was trying to make a joke. I really am okay, though."

"No, you're not," his captain retorted. "And that wasn't funny."

That was how he ended up in the infirmary doing nothing but looking up at the ceiling. He waited for Sirius to come and visit him, but nobody did. Regulus figured the team was too busy celebrating. That was until Slughorn came in, sitting on the chair, clearing his throat. "Regulus?"

"Hi," he turned to look at the man, smiling. Slughorn always made him feel comfortable being in his own skin.

"So, your team captain brought up something which has me a bit concerned."

"What?"

"Has anyone ever used Cruciatus on you?"

"That..." Regulus frowned. "That was a joke."

"I'm a little worried it wasn't." Slughorn sighed.

Panic set in, but so did the potion which numbed the pain he felt in his arm. "My parents took care of it already."

"Your older brother?"

"Sirius isn't..." Regulus frowned. "I'm not allowed to be around Bella alone anymore." He watched Slughorn quickly pale. "Did I say something wrong? I haven't gotten my parents into trouble? They're already not letting me play with her anymore."

"No, no. Though..." Slughorn gave him a worried look. "Bellatrix used Cruciatus on you?"

"Yes. I'm not supposed to talk about that. It's been resolved. Grandfather and father said it was, but..."

"I'm a little more concerned with the fact you just told me that you think what Bellatrix was doing was playing with her."

"She was practicing her healing spells, and I was helping." Regulus frowned. "I'm not allowed to anymore. Grandfather said so, but father was really upset at me."

"They weren't upset with you, Regulus. They were upset with Bellatrix, but she was the one who wasn't allowed to play with you anymore, not the other way around." Slughorn sighed. "Regulus, you should try and be more aware of people when they try and take advantage of you, alright? Because that was what Bellatrix was doing, but as the person who was in charge of her here at Hogwarts, her intentions weren't nice ones."

"Oh. Okay." Regulus frowned.

"Something bothering you."

"Sirius."

"I couldn't ask McGonagall to..."

"He won't come."

"Then how about I keep you company for a bit? How would you like that?"

"Aren't you busy, professor?"

"I'm never too busy for one of my favorite charges," the man let out a laugh. "I hope you never forget that."